Wheel-hub cap.



E. TIMMERHOFF.

WHEEL HUB CAP.

APPLlcATloN EILE'D FEB.3,1917.

1,234,968. Patented July 31, 1917.

ININIW ira earns 'an ERNEST TIMMERHOFF, F ELKHART, INDIANALASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 CI-ARLES E.

TEED, OF ELKHART, INDIANA.

WHEEL-HUB CAP.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Application led February 3, 1917. Serial No. lett/165; l Y

To all wtm it may Concern:

Be it lrnown that I, ERNEST TIMMERHOFF, a citizen oi'the United States, residing at Elkhart, in the county o t Elkhart and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in iVheebHub Caps, ot' which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to an improvement in hubcaps for automobile wheels, particularly of that type designed ton convenient removal to provide access to the parts, while at the same time forming a more or less ornamental finish to the wheel,

Hub caps of thistype have heretofore generally been secured by a threaded point band and cooperating threaded section on the cap, or by operating bolts set through the cap and threaded into the hub. ln either such construction, the time and labor incident to the application or removal ot the hub cap, as well as thecost of manufacture or1 the cap and its cooperating parts, prove a distinct disadvantage.

- lt is the object of the present invention,

theretore, to provide a hub cap which is the ordinary bolts for securing the hub.

plates together to bind the wheel parts, are utilized as the securing means tor the cap. Certain of these bolts are reversed sothat the removable nuts are on the outer side of the'wheel, and the diameter of the engaging edge of the hub cap is practically coextensive with the maximum diametric distance between the said .securing bolts. The recesses in the securing edge of cap are coextensive with thev normal projections or" the securing nuts onthe cap, so that with the nuts slightly loosened the cap may be applied or removed by registering the recesses in the edges of the cap with the nuts and moving the cap inwardly into contact `with the adjacent hub plate. Ille cap is then turned so that the nonrecessed'portion ozt the edge is beneath the nuts, whereupon the vnuts are tightened, securing: the cap in place.' y l y The invention, in a simple form, is illustrated in thevaccompanying drawings, in whichz- Y y w Figure 1 is a broken frontelevation of a wheelshowing the improved cap in place.

Fig. 2 is anedge elevation of the same, with the cap in section. v

The accompanying drawings illustrate a conventional type ot automobile wheel in which the hub structure, and radiating spokes are secured in wheel Jforming relation by opposed hub plates, l, secured in place by bolts 2, passed transversely through the spoke tenons, and engaged by nuts 3.

As ordinarily arranged, the heads of the bolts Q are on the outer side of the Wheel, bot-h to provide for convenient tightening of the nuts from the inner side When desired, and to avoid obstruction on the outer side ot the wheel. For the purposes of the present invention, however, certain of the bolts will be reversed, as for example every other such bolt, so that the head end thereof is on the inner side of the Wheel and the nut receiving end on the outer side. l

The improved hub cap 4, which may be of any desired 'ornamental ormatiom is formed or provided with an edge flange 5, adapted to bear against the outer hub plate 1. The edge flange 5 of the cap is of a.

maximum diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the circle included just with-V in the shanks of the reversed bolts, so that in the absence of the nuts 3 on said bolts the edge flange would seat within the bolts.

The edge flange is cut, or recessed, at 6, the

recesses being disposed with particular relation to the reverse bolts, in that in a determinate position ofthe cap the `recesses will simultaneously register with said bolts.

The recesses are of sutlicient size to receive the nuts?) when applied to the bolts, that is with the nuts applied, the cap, with the recesses in rregister'with the nuts may be readily removed or applied axially of the Wheel n without interferences.

ln applying the cap, the recesses of the edgeiiange are arranged to register with the nuts, after slightly loosening the latter on the bolts. The cap is then moved inwardly toward the adjacent hub plate until the edge ico ros

liange is ydisposed a plane between the said hub plate and loosened nuts, whereupon 'the 'cap .is turned on the hub plate as a r base, until an unbroken edge of the ilange rides beneath each .of the loosened nuts. When the recesses have thus been turned be- .yondthe nuts the latter are tightened, thus' securing the cap in place. y

The removal operation of the capV is obvious, as by loosening the nuts, and turning the cap until the recesses register withv such nuts, the 'cap may be freely removed. 'In

` f the event' the heads of the normally placed Y or nonreversed bolts of the-'Wheel interfere l. 15

with the application of the cap, such` heads 1 may be reduced on one side as shown at 7.

Wheel, for holding the cap in place', and which materially simplies and reduces the cost of manufacture of the cap and eliminates entirely the provision of means on the wheel for the specio holding oi the cap. A

What is claimed ae'new is:

1. A wheel huh cap formed with edge recesses, a-Wheel, bolts secured to the wheel, and cap securing nuts coperating with the bolts and adapted to overlie the marginal edge of the cap beyond the recesses,the recesses being of a size to clear the nuts when in register therewith.

2. A wheel hub having hub securing bolts `arranged with the nut receiving ends on the outer side of the wheel, a cap for the hub having an edge flange, and nuts coperating with said bolts and adapted to overlie and engage the hub iiange, said Hangs being formed with recesses to register with the 'nuts to free the cap without removing the nuts from the bolts.

In testimony whereof I a'liiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST TIMMERHOFF Witnesses: CARLTON T. OLDS,

CHARLES E. IEED, 

